


Congelación

by maiska99



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, BAMF Lance (Voltron), Cold, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Frostbite, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith makes a mistake, Kissing, Korean Keith (Voltron), Lance is in pain, M/M, Making Out, Mutual Pining, Pain, Sensory Deprivation, Swearing, Touching, You will understand this with the context that I am a biomedical engineer, a little blood, a lot of physics in this, acupuncture kind of, light nsfw, like a lot, love heals all wounds, no sex but SEXXXXY, what writing style, will add more tags later, writing style
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:30:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9471461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiska99/pseuds/maiska99
Summary: First your skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. Trying to rewarm frozen areas can cause immense pain.





	1. Hubris

It was supposed to be a normal mission. Easy in, easy out. And while Keith knew he could be reckless, he’d always hoped that any repercussions would fall on him personally. Keith also knew he’s fucked up before, royally, but it seemed someone else was always there— busting ass to save his.

 

Not this time.

 

Not this time, because his hubris brought him too close to the surface of the glacial planet while trying to collect crystals for one of Allura’s more puzzling projects. And crystals were what Keith got, but when a huge gust of arctic wind drowned out the warning cries of his teammates, the retrieval at the time seemed more pointless than not.

 

“Goddammit Keith! Get out of there!” Shiro shouted almost arbitrarily; he could see on his display that Keith’s comm wasn’t receiving.

 

The intense wind pressed Keith further towards the surface; Keith’s breath shone white in the dimming light of his cockpit, and he saw ice begin to crackle at his window. He vaguely remembered from the briefing that the planet’s atmosphere and surface was primarily nitrogen and carbon, making the air toxic and deadly. If the window broke, and he took a single breath of the atmosphere, the water in his lungs would freeze— and exhalation would be impossible.

 

In a last ditch effort, Keith swung his controls to the left and up, to use the gust to corkscrew his lion up and out. As he pulled, his display rung out a weak tone, indicating his computer and engines were too cold. He was going down.

 

Keith let out a sigh of air. _This is it._ Absently, he pressed the recorder on his display; it was analog, a gift from Pidge in case the tech shut down.

 

“Hey guys. Um…” Keith inhaled before he continued. “I’m going down. It sucks to die in something so cold. I’ll miss you.”

 

_Shit, I’m terrible at goodbyes._

 

Keith let go of his yoke and closed his eyes as his breath puffs in front of him. _Goodby—_

 

A loud crunch echoed throughout the red lion, and Keith felt an incredible force bearing down on him. Looking out of the the front of his lion, he saw that he had not hit the ground.

 

_I’m being pushed up?_

 

With a final jolt, the red lion was forced out of the trapping gust, and with the forceful current no longer obstructing his steering, Keith turned his lion to see how he had gotten out. A blur of blue whizzed in front of him.

 

“Lance?”


	2. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna be a bit longer. And sad. Sorry.

“Lance?”

 

The blue lion had collided into the back of the red lion, using its acceleration and subsequent impulse to force Keith up and out. Lance must have taken off as soon as Keith got caught in the gust in order to build up enough speed to match the wind. Checking him comm, Keith saw that it was projecting again.

 

“Keith…” Lance warned— it sounded strained. Keith closed his eyes and let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

 

“You absolute quiznak-ing idiot! WHAT THE SHIT WERE YOU THINKING??” Lance’s powerful voice thundered throughout the cockpit. “Did you skip common sense class at the Garrison? Or maybe just physics?”

 

“Shut up, Lance.”

 

“No, YOU shut up. Once I get out of this current, imma come up there and beat your ass!”

 

Keith’s eyes snapped open. _Get out of the current?_ Keith spun Red back towards the planet’s surface and saw that Blue was, indeed, still inside of the wind channel. He watched in horror as the large metal cat ricocheted off varying force pockets in the current. A particularly sharp bounce sent Lance’s voice back through Keith’s speakers. He sounded in pain.

 

“Lance!” Shiro boomed through the intercom. Keith had forgotten about the other paladins present. “You need to get out of there immediately. Is your lion sustaining any damage?”

 

“Not as much as the flaming mullet’s, but, yeah, it’s getting pretty rocky in here.” Lance’s voice sounded shaky. “I think Blue will do a little better against the cold.”

 

Hunk suddenly interjected. “Lance, buddy, I think you should put on an ozone mask. It looks like more ice is being blown into your path up ahead, and if your screen cracks…”

 

Keith nearly smacked his head. _Why didn’t I think of that? Stupid, stupid…_

 

“Ok, Hunkahunka. Roger that. Any course plans or ideas? I’m still above the heavier pull Keith was feeling, but I don’t know how long that’s gonna last ‘till the pressure comes back.”

 

“It looks like it eases up slightly ahead.” Keith didn’t even realize he was speaking until he heard himself. “Just after those mountains. If you can get out right after you round them, you should be able to get in lee of the wind.”

 

“Huh.” Lance’s voice was quieter. “Well, dickhead, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.”

 

“Affirmative, Lance. I think that’s a good plan.” Pidge iterated, sounding worried.

 

“Well, what are we supposed to do? Just sit here?” Keith pressed.

 

“No. Keith, you and I will transport the crystals we’re carrying to Hunk and Pidge. Once you two have them all, head back to the castle— the extra weight will make you more susceptible to getting pulled into the current. Then, Keith and I will fly over to the mountains and be on standby for Lance to get out of the current.”

 

“Got it!” Keith, Pidge, and Hunk spoke as one. Lance’s comm was silent.

 

After Keith had loaded the crystals into the Yellow Lion, he zoomed over towards the icy slopes of the nearby mountain, wary of the current pulls below.

 

“Careful… Keith.” Lance whispered, his voice hoarser than it had been a minute ago.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Just… Please be careful.”

 

“...You too.”

 

Rounding the mountain, Keith saw Blue, and thereby Lance, get thrown like a ragdoll through the stream. Lance’s breath rattled quietly, and Keith held questions on his tongue. _Are you okay? Are you cold? Are you scared?_

 

_Are we going to get out of this?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments boost my self esteem, so help a sister out. <3


	3. Have Some Faith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been just banging out these chapters, and I'm super nervous about where this is going. Thanks for all the love— I'm feelin it!

_ Are you okay? Are you cold? Are you scared? _

 

_ Are we going to get out of this? _

 

“You’re almost there, Lance. Stay calm, and get ready.” Shiro said. 

 

Keith’s thoughts were interrupted by a brutal sound of an explosion, followed by a hoarse scream. 

 

“LANCE!” 

 

Keith shouted as he steered his lion to a better sight vantage point. “LANCE! WHAT”S WRONG?”

 

Keith peered out of his front window, and magnified his focus on the front of the Blue Lion. Keith gasped. 

 

The Blue Lion’s right eye was gone.

 

“SHIRO! WE NEED TO GET HIM OUT  _ NOW _ !

 

“We can’t! The pull is too strong, we’d end up just like him!”

 

Keith prepared himself to yell at Shiro, when the Black Paladin continued.

 

“LANCE. If you can hear me, when I say three, take Blue to the left, do you copy?”

 

Static rang out in the cockpit. Keith began to shake. 

 

“Lance do you copy? Are you ready? One… two… THREE!”

 

Almost as if it were a miracle, the Blue Lion veered to the left. Keith dove to intercept her. 

 

“Lance… I’ve got you. Do you hear me? I’ve got you.”

 

_ Please be okay.  Please, Lance. _

* * *

  
  


“Extracting Lance from Blue in the middle of open space is, in fact, a bad idea, Keith.” Shiro spoke sternly. The red and black paladins were pushing Blue towards the castle using their respective lions.

 

“But what if he flies out of Blue’s head? We don’t even know what condition he’s in. What if he’s dying?”

 

“Keith. Have some faith in him.” And that was that.

 

When Keith and Shiro pushed Blue through the bay door, they saw a very worried Allura standing in the observation deck, waiting with her jaw clenched to open the door. Once the bay doors had shut behind them, and oxygen was freely flowing into the hangar, Allura rocketed through the door, straight to the Blue Lion.

 

Keith and Shiro followed soon after, running towards Blue. On closer inspection, it seemed that Blue’s facial tear was worse than previously thought. But Keith wasn’t thinking about that. All he could think was  _ Lance, Lance, Lance, Lan— _

 

“CORAN! Get a stretcher down here IMMEDIATELY!” Allura’s voice halted Keith’s thoughts. Damn, that woman could command a room.

 

Peering into the gaping cockpit of the Blue Lion, Keith could see that the princess had shifted to be far taller than usual. Coran pushed through Keith and Shiro with a floating bed-like contraption, and Allura bent down to pick up—

 

Keith’s breath caught. He couldn’t completely see Lance through his paladin suit, but upon closer inspection through the ozone mask, he could see Lance’s normally dark skin had lost its typical pallor, and had become more a sickly grayish color. The tip of Lance’s nose appeared a dark red. Keith’s red.

 

“FOR QUIZNAK’S SAKE KEITH,  _ MOVE!” _

 

Shiro grasped Keith’s arm firmly and hauled him out of the way of Coran and Allura, who had begun to barrel down the corridor to the healing chambers. Keith shuddered— he hated those pods. At least he knew exactly what his plan was for tonight. Sleeping next to the pods wasn’t comfortable, per se, but achievable if you have the right amount of—

 

“Keith? You in there buddy?” Hunk looked concerned as he peered into Keith’s violet irises.

 

“I think he might be experiencing a form of shock, Hunk. Give him some time.” Shiro instructed, clearly weary.

 

“Time, my ass! What were you doing back there Keith? Were you trying to get yourself killed?” Pidge came right under Keith’s nose. She looked angry. And tired.  _ What’s going on with my head? _

 

“Pidge, maybe we should—”

 

“Hunk, give me ONE second.” The green paladin wheeled once again on Keith. “Keith, I know you’re smarter than this. And I hope that you don’t actually want Lance dead. So if you could just, for one minute during a mission—”

 

“What did you say?” Keith said through a clenched jaw.

 

“Excuse me?” Pidge huffed.

 

“What. Did. You. Say.” Keith’s hands began to shake. “You think I want Lance dead? I didn’t ask him to treat himself like a human cue! I would never want him to—”

 

“WHEN WILL YOU GET THE FACT THAT HE WOULD DO  **ANYTHING** FOR YOU?!? FOR ANY OF US?!” Pidge was screaming now, angry tears streaming down her cheeks, pooling on her glasses.

 

“Pidge,” Shiro clasped her shoulder. “Let’s go talk, okay?”

 

Pidge gaped, clearly ready to start again, but Shiro, exhausted, steered her away and towards the living chambers. 

 

_ Stupid, stupid, stupid _ . It was enough that it was Keith’s fault that Lance was hurt, but that he had made Pidge cry? He was really going to get lip from Shiro once he was done. 

 

Turning away, Keith marched himself towards the training room, unaware of Hunk following close behind.

 

“Keith? Dude?”

 

Keith swerved slightly. “What, Hunk. You gonna yell at me too?”

 

“No, Keith.” Something in his tone make Keith stop. “I think we really should talk.”


	4. Abrasion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dog is sleeping on my lap right now and it's adorable

The nearby nebula was giving off a cool glow— it’s blue-purple light blanketed Hunk’s face, but didn’t manage to hit the crease in his eyebrow. This cast a shadow across the yellow paladin’s face, sweeping under his eye like a smudge.

 

When Keith is riled up, he notices things like this. It’s a mechanism to get him to slow down, and listen. And he knew when Hunk said “we need to ‘talk,’” he meant Keith needed to listen.

 

Hunk sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair, then pulled it back into a high bun. “I’m worried too,” he started. Keith looked up at him. “About Lance. And I’m not sure you know how to show it. I wouldn’t either.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“I think that Shiro believes you two are alike.” Hunk smiles to himself before continuing. “I disagree. You, Keith, are rash. Severely overconfident. Intelligent, but impulsive. Often, however, your impulses are right.”

 

Keith snorted. “Tell me something I don’t know.” _Or that I haven’t heard before from Shiro._

 

“Lance is… well, Lance is also rash, but in a different way. I think that’s what exasperates Shiro so much about the two of you. You’re similar in one fashion, but…”

 

“So what makes him different?” Keith was getting impatient.

 

Hunk paused, as if he were thinking of the best way to explain. “Lance, he’s a middle child in a big family. He’s always felt kind of invisible like that. But he would flat out do anything for anyone in his family.” Hunk looked Keith directly in the eyes. “You’re his family now. He would never say it like that, but that’s how he feels. And he believes, pretty firmly, that it’s better if he gets hurt, or worse, than anyone else in his family.”

 

Hunk continued on, looking down. “Where you’re overconfident, Lance is underconfident. The only thing he’s sure of is that everyone else is far more important that he is. His impulse is to protect at his own expense. He’s a little more than slightly self destructive.”

 

“He’s not less important! He’s part of the team! I’ve never heard something so—”

 

“Keith, I’m trying to get you to understand why Pidge said what she said. Pidge has been in your shoes too— she’s messed up and Lance has taken the fall. That’s who he is, really.”

 

“So… what are you getting at here, Hunk?”

 

Hunk gave Keith a sidelong glance. “There isn’t an easy way to say this, but the more risks you take at what you presume to be your own expense, the higher the likeliness is someone else is to get hurt defending you. Specifically, Lance.”

 

Keith stilled. _I knew the others would always be there to help, but this? This isn’t what I imagined._

 

“I just don’t understand,” Keith started, unsure, “why Lance feels like he needs to protect _me_. I’m pretty sure he can’t stand me most of the time.”

 

Hunk gave himself a secret small smile. “I think that’s something you should discuss with him.”

 

* * *

 

When Keith finally walked into the healing pod room, Coran was typing on a small tablet, unaware of his entrance.

 

“Coran?”

 

The Altean advisor looked over to Keith. The underside of his eyes was a muted green. He seemed exhausted, and stressed.

 

“‘Lo-there, Keith! How’s it shakin?” Coran’s usually chipper voice was not present, despite his playful words.

 

“How is he?” Keith didn’t look at the pod he knew Lance was in— afraid of what he might see.

 

“Well, he had severe blisters and the beginnings of tissue death.”

 

“Tissue death?”

 

“For humans, its when the skin turns black, and blood doesn’t flow there anymore. It’s immensely painful!”

 

“Can the pods fix it?”

 

Coran’s moustache quivered. “Well, it should repair most of the tissue damage, but I’m not sure as to the extent. What I’m concerned about is the temperature in the pods.”

 

Keith shivered, remembering awaking after being in a pod, the cold of the machine reaching into his bones. “What could happen?”

 

“Not sure, lad. The healing process could be stunted, or he could emerge not completely recovered. We’re not supposed to keep humans in here too long, as you know.”

 

Keith bit his lower lip. If Lance was irreparable because of him… _I don’t know how I would forgive myself. If_ **_he_ ** _would ever forgive me._

 

“Well, Keith,” Coran broke his chain of thoughts. “I’m going to go hit the old sleep chamber. I bet I look worse than a klomping nortak!” Coran laughed to himself, shoulders bouncing. “I left a blanket and some pillows next to the pod. See you in the morning!”

 

Keith’s eyes followed Coran until the automatic doors shut behind him. _He knows me better than I thought_. The red paladin gripped the back of his neck, massaging the base of his hairline. Slowly, and at long last, Keith walked in front of Lance’s pod.

 

Lance looked… well, he looked awful. But there was something about him, as Keith allowed himself to carry his gaze over the blue paladin’s resting face, that was strangely beautiful. Keith allowed his features to soften as his eyes wandered to Lance’s hands— Coran, or Allura, had covered them in some thick fuzzy bandages. It gave Lance the appearance of an angel with huge mittens on, or something.

 

Keith placed his forehead on the cool panel of the pod, breathing to the tone of Lance’s heartbeat. _I think that this time, when he wakes up..._

 

_This time, I’ll tell him everything._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments give me life, please keep it up. Love <3


	5. To the Bone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok Lance is going to describe a lot of pain-related stuff, but nothing too graphic. I always write Lance like I write myself hahaha help ok enjoy, and keep sending love.

***LANCE***

 

Pain is a weird sort of dream. When you’re not in pain, you imagine that you can take on anything, that the hurt, the ache, is no expense. But when you’re about to feel pain, when you know it, something changes. Like the moment before the jump, the note before a crescendo, the shivers before a needle plunges into your vein— something changes. At that moment, pain seems like the worst feeling in the world. Until you’re  _ actually _ in pain. That sucks a whole lot worse.

 

Lance was in pain. Well, to be correct, Lance was always in a sort of pain. If anyone ever asked him how he was doing, Lance was tired, Lance’s back hurt, Lance was feeling sick. If it was true, it didn’t matter. Pain didn’t actually bother Lance. 

 

Shiro had said once to the blue paladin that describing pain was a shield that Lance put up; a front. That there was real,  _ deep  _ pain that Lance held within him, a pain that pushed at his ribs from within its cage, crawling up his throat and  _ pleading _ to get out. It screamed at him, LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME  **OUT** but came out as a simple, “I’m fine, just tired, s’all.”

 

But this time, Lance was in pain. It came from the outside in, like a fire at his fingertips and on the soles of his feet. It burned at the top of his chest, wrapping it’s way down his torso to the sharp bones of his hips. It wrenched him forward, it dragged him back, and so Lance was still.

 

He couldn’t move really. He couldn’t remember how he got there. 

 

Lance was on fire, and he was freezing.  _ Dios mío, I’m freezing. _

 

Through the haze, the burn and the ache, Lance remembered a voice… voices? 

 

_ 3...2...1 _ What else? 

 

_ Do you hear me? _

 

A memory hit Lance like a bus. Blue’s cockpit, the crackling windows, his breath curling in front of him like a fog. And then, a sharp throb, like a headache permeating in the hollow of his eye. “Blue? What’s wrong?” 

 

Before she could answer, perhaps, the throb turned to agony, as Lance watched in horror as Blue’s lights flashed red, and then is was cold, so cold.

 

_ I’ve got you. Do you hear me? _

 

Lance’s vision had gone white, this icy fire screaming up his arms and legs. It felt like his skin, no, his cells were being ripped apart. If he could have screamed, he would have, but the air and the cold scorched his throat. He would have screamed, maybe for help, maybe for mercy, maybe for…

 

* * *

 

“Keith. Hey, Keith, wake up.”

 

Keith started forward, his restless sleep coming to an abrupt end. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and lifted his head, waiting for his vision to focus.

 

“Pidge… what time is it?”

 

The green paladin seemingly scoffed. “What does it matter? We’re in space.”

 

“And time is relative.” Keith finished for her. Contrary to Lance’s belief, Keith did, in fact, take physics at the Garrison.

 

_ Oh shit. Lance. _

 

Keith snapped his head towards the accusatory pod so fast he nearly had whiplash. “He’s still in there,” Pidge drawled, “there’s no use breaking your neck over it.”

 

_ God, Keith. Time to be an adult. _

 

“Pidge, I have something I need to say to you.”

 

“If it’s ‘sorry,’ I don’t want to hear it. It’s not me you need to apologize to.”

 

When Keith rose, he was a full head or two above Pidge. “I am sorry, but that’s not the point. I did jeopardize the mission for the sake of my pride. I didn’t realize at the time, that my life wasn’t the only one in danger.” Keith stared at the Lance’s pod. “If I had known Lance would do that, I wouldn’t have—”

 

“If you had  _ known? _ ” Pidge seethed. “I’m sure Hunk gave you the ‘Lance-will-literally-destroy-his-life-for-you” speech, but I’m honestly not sure how you couldn’t have noticed his behavior before? I mean, how dense could you possibly be?”

 

“Did you?”

 

Pidge looked confused. “Did I what?”

 

“Did you notice? Before? Hunk said that Lance had taken the fall for you in the past, so I want to know if you had noticed.”

 

Pidge seemed surprised. For a moment, Keith could truly see how young she was, as she looked down at her shoes. “Um… no. I didn’t. I thought he was just being a dick who likes to take credit and accept pity.”

 

“Then perhaps you understand better than you think.” Keith raised his eyebrows.

 

Pidge sniffed. Then sniffed again. When she raised her head, Keith saw a heavy tear roll around the curve of her cheek, leaving a shiny track. 

 

“I’m worried about him, Keith.” Her voice lost its sharpness, revealing the raw, scared person underneath. “I’m scared that he’s hurt, and I can’t do anything to help him.”

 

Keith attempted to steady himself, to force himself to be strong, but as he stared at Pidge’s face, he felt her fear, her anxiety and pain, and he let it wash over his chest into his eyes as his breath, too, caught in his throat. 

 

“Pidge, I’m… I’m scared too.” Keith listened as Pidge let out a whimper. “I’m so scared. You have no idea how much I am  _ hating  _ myself right now. How much I know it should be  _ me _ in there and not him. You don’t know—”

 

“What? That you’re in love with him?”

 

Keith tensed, ready to defend, to contradict.  _ No. Not anymore. _ He released his jaw, allowing the tears to pool and fall, hot and burning, down his face.

 

“Yes.” The tears fell. They fell. “Yes.”

 

Pidge crushed her face to Keith’s chest, and he buried his head in her hair.

 

_ Yes. I’m in love with him. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry (no I'm not)


	6. Tissues That Lie Below

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love clinical anxiety it's just *clenches fist* SO great. But even more, I love my readers, who help me with my mental state. Y'all rock. Hope I'm not making your lives too terrible with this.

The second night, Keith leaned against the pod opposite of Lance’s, refusing to eye break contact with the blue paladin’s face. He couldn’t pinpoint the moment he fell for this arrogant, selfless, asshole— if fall could even be the right word. Keith plummeted for Lance, he abated, he plunged. Looking back at his time at the Garrison, he kicked himself for not _seeing_ Lance sooner, and for accepting rivalry in the place of affection. Just anything for Lance’s attention.

 

Keith watched Lance’s heartbeat, holding his breath when a beat seemed to spaced apart, or too quick. _Time is relative._ He remembered his fear when Sendak stood in front of him, ready to strike and kill, and how Lance awoke from a bomb-induced coma and saved him. Keith remembered how he had let himself slip just once, because Lance was delirious and would probably forget (of course, he was right), when he had held Lance’s hand and looked him in the eye without fear. How Lance had passed out and nearly gave Keith a _heart attack_ and how Keith had lifted Lance so gently, practically cradled him, and had booked it to this very pod room the moment he learned of its existence.

 

He knew the sting when Lance would turn his focus on _another_ alien that he found to be humanistic, flirting endlessly until the recipient either abandoned him or betrayed him completely. Keith knew how Lance would pout, maybe for a couple of minutes, but never that long. It was like he never tired of being used.

 

 _How could I not see it before?_ Keith pressed the heels of his hands into the bases of his eye sockets. Peeking through his fingers, he stared once more at Lance.

 

Keith remembered when once he had chided Lance too hard, too much, and Lance had shut down. Hollow-eyed, his lips pressed together, the blue paladin had stopped talking while Shiro reprimanded Keith on his harsh choice of words. His heart had wrenched then; it wrenched like that now. Lance had a hard time forgiving Keith for anything— Keith had no clue why.

 

Keith walked over to Lance’s pod, looking up into his thin face. “You promised, Lance. You said you’d be careful.”

 

Keith waited, watching the monitor. “I should have listened to you, asshole. I should have— I don’t know, dived through space to get you out. I should have listened to Allura and Shiro and _you_ for God’s sake, and never flew so close to the surface.”

 

“At least now you can recognize your mistake,” Keith heard a voice behind him. “Maybe next time you won’t do the same thing.”

 

Keith didn’t need to turn around. “I guess it’s time for my lecture.”

 

Shiro chuckled lowly, without much humour. “I don’t need to tell you what I’m sure you already know. Have you been sleeping alright?”

 

“No.” _Of course not._

 

Shiro looked satisfied. “Okay.”

 

“Mmhm.”

 

Shiro slid to the ground next to Keith, he, too, staring up at Lance. “Coran told me,” Shiro began, “that he’s afraid about the temperature in the pods.”

 

“Yeah. He told me.”

 

“I don’t want to be an ass, Keith,” Shiro paused. “But we need to consider the possibility that Lance may be hurt beyond our capable repair.”

 

Keith averted his gaze. “That’s not a possibility I want to entertain.”

 

“Keith, you can’t sit here and assume that he’ll be completely okay. There are some things that the pods can’t—”

 

“Shiro,” Keith looked the black paladin straight in the eye. “Have some faith in him.”

 

Shiro gaped, then shut his mouth. His silence turned to a smile, remembering his earlier words to Keith.

 

“Okay, Keith. I will.” Shiro rose to his feet, and ruffled Keith’s hair. “It will be ok.”

 

_It sounds like he’s saying it more for himself._

 

As Shiro left the pod room, Keith looked back up at Lance.

 

“You better prove me right.”

* * *

  


***LANCE***

 

Lance stood in the middle of a sea of unmoving water. Looking at his feet, he saw in his reflection the ones he loved peering back at him. His _mamá_ , with her kind eyes and cinnamon skin. His _abuela_ , soft lines stretching from the corners of her eyes to her silver hairline, the tight knot on the top of her head pulling at the skin of her forehead, as if she were permanently impressed. His _hermanos y hermanas_ , sitting on the blue couch in the family room back in Varadero, joking around and beckoning for him to join.

 

Lance couldn’t move. He was cold to his bones, to his soul. Cold ran through his veins, cold shuddered through his lungs. No matter how far he bent, the cold left him frozen in place. Lance couldn’t move.

 

The water showed Lance Blue, and he longed for her assurance and comfort in his mind and heart. He saw her change from complete and glorious to destroyed, her face mangled, and pain seared across his own visage.

 

_It’s my fault. It’s my fault._

 

Lance stopped struggling against his own body. Ice crackled at his hands and at his feet, burning and burying him deep within himself. _This is it._

 

From the bottom of his lidded eyes, Lance saw the colour of the water changed from the sickly grey to a warm red. His eyes snapped open— familiarity sung through him at the sight of a dark mullet.

 

“Keith,” Lance but whispered. From within the pool, Keith turned.

 

“—Be careful.” Lance heard the red paladin’s voice from the deep. “—Faith in him—”

 

“Keith…” Lance said a bit louder, his heart now thundering in his chest. _How…_

 

“—better prove me right—”

 

“KEITH!” The water around the blue paladin rippled and turned the stillness to storm; Lance could see Keith through the crests of the waves. The ice pushed upwards, trying to cage Lance in.

 

“KEITH! HELP ME! _KEITH_!”

 

The image of Keith, stupid Keith with his stupid fingerless gloves on his stupid beautiful hands, reached to Lance, just beneath the surface. Lance’s heart beat louder than the crashing of the waves, and with a final snap, Lance broke free of his ice with a hand blackened with frostbite.

 

Lance reached, plunging his free hand into the wave nearest. As he felt Keith’s fingers closing around his, warmth, like sunlight, radiated from the contact and washed through his body.

 

Keith pulled Lance towards him, and the ice around him shattered.

 

 _Keith_.

 

* * *

 

The incessant beeping snapped Keith from his stupor, sending him to his feet immediately. Lance’s pod was opening.

 

“Lance?” Keith flung himself to the front of the pod, wary of the door.

 

“LANCE!” When the door was at its most open, Keith extended his arms as the blue paladin fell, straight into Keith’s chest. Keith’s breath hitched as he felt Lance’s face crowd into his neck, and Keith brought his hand under Lance’s knees, carrying him to a nearby table. The red paladin rocketed over to the area where he had been sleeping the last two days, snatching his blankets and pillows. Lance was so cold.

 

Keith wrapped Lance tight within the warm blanket, propping his head up on the pillows. “Lance? Can you hear me?”

 

The pause was deafening. Keith could hear Lance’s raspy breaths, strained and shaking. Then.

 

“Keith.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the Mayo Clinic because they are a great recourse for medical information— resource on frostbite comes from their website.


	7. Zephyrus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while. Love writing this so much, but, you know, anxiety.

“Ouch.”

 

Coran’s smile became slightly bigger as he poked the pin into Lance’s pinkie finger— Lance could feel.

 

“Well,” the advisor started, “That’s certainly good news! I was hoping you’d have sensation in all of your fingers and toes, but it seems that we don’t have that kind of luck.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keith asked, watching from afar, leaning against the now vacant pod. 

 

“Well, Keith, as I told you before, the temperature in the pods was not conducive for nerve healing in Lance’s case. So, he’s left with feeling in three of his ten fingers, and six of his ten toes.”

 

Lance tore his glance to the side. He knew what was coming.

 

“How is Lance supposed to fly if he can’t feel his hands?” Shiro asked, straight to the point.

 

“He’ll learn.” Allura smiled at Lance, and looked over to Shiro. “You’re not the first amputee to ever fly a lion, Shiro. And not all amputees had signals traveling through their prostheses. It’s not impossible to fly without feeling in your extremities— I’ve seen it before.”

 

“What about shooting?” Lance’s voice was still hoarse. “How am I supposed to know if I’m even pulling the trigger? How the hell am I supposed to fight?”

 

“Lance,” Hunk put a hand on his friend’s back. “We’ll figure it out. We’re a team, remember? If you’re frozen, we’re all frozen until we work it out together.”

 

Keith looked down.  _ Hunk always knows what to say. _ Looking back at Lance’s face, he could see the ease melting into his sharp features. 

 

“Is there any chance that he’ll regain feeling?” Pidge asked Coran.

 

“Er… Possibly. Not sure enough to say. We’ll have to run some more tests, but…”

 

Pidge started to look worried. Lance visibly noticed, and his demeanor changed to a more comical one.

 

“Hey, Pidgeon, dontcha worry! If I can’t fight correctly, you can make some sort of… feeling glove! Yeah, some external prosthetic that can pull for me!”

 

Pidge scoffed. “The sensors alone would be a  _ nightmare _ to program, let alone the fact that we don’t have any feasible microprocessors on board— they only accept Altean! And even if they didn’t, I’d have to convert the…” 

 

While Pidge continued, Keith saw Lance relax. “Well, whatever you have to do, Pidge, I’m sure it’ll look AWESOME. Can you imagine all the ladies who will come flocking? ‘ _ Oh, Lance, just what is that cool looking glove? Tell me all about it!’” _ Lance squeaked in a terrible falsetto, his hands clasped next to his chin. While Shiro and Hunk laughed, Keith rolled his eyes. He didn’t see Lance glancing over at him.

 

“Well, kiddos, it’s a few ticks passed your bedtime, and Allura has a rather nasty training schedule in place for you tomorrow.” Allura elbowed Coran as he spoke. “You all should get some rest. See ya in the morning!” Coran escorted Allura out of the room, talking about the next day’s regimen.

 

Shiro shook his head. “Alright, guys. Let’s heed their warning, and get some shuteye. I don’t even want to know what’s going to happen tomorrow.” He turned on Lance. “Lance, do you need any help getting to your room?”

 

“Nah, man. I’ve got this.” 

 

After he said it, Hunk swept Lance into a crushing hug. “Let me know if you need  _ anything _ , man. I’m serious.”

 

“ _ Dios, mío, hermano. ¡Déjeme respirar!” _ Lance barely cut out before Hunk let him back down. The two shared a laugh before Hunk began to walk out of the room.

 

Pidge was next, her stature only allowing her up to Lance’s chest as she hugged. “If you die again, I’ll kill you.” She bit out, turning to go. Before exiting, she glanced at Keith, and gave a small smile.

 

Shiro tussled Lance’s short hair with a smile, before he himself left. Keith looked down at his shoes. The two were silent for a short time.

 

“Keith, man,” Lance began. Keith looked up. “Come closer, I don’t want to yell.”

 

Keith walked over to where Lance was half-sitting on the examination table. Lance looked really tired, but still animated, somehow. His eyes seemed even bluer at the contrast of his dark skin. “Yeah?”

 

“Keith,” Lance paused for a moment. “Can you walk with me? I can get my thoughts out better if I’m moving.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

It wasn’t until they’d reached the hallway when Lance started to talk. 

 

“Um… What were you thinking? When you were flying that close to the surface. Like, what was going through your head?”

 

As Keith walked, he scuffed his heels against the floor. “I wasn’t thinking, really. When I fly, my mind goes blank.”

 

Lance sighed. “Is Blue okay?”

 

This, Keith could answer. “Yeah, she’s almost back up. Hunk and Pidge have been working non-stop to get her back together. This morning they’d said one or two days was needed.”

 

Lance seemed relieved. The two kept walking slowly along the corridor. 

 

“Geez, I’m cold,” the Blue paladin said, aside.

 

Keith felt bold. “Lance?”

 

“What?”

 

“Why did you save me?”

 

Lance stopped in his tracks. “What the _fuck_ kind of question is that?”

 

Keith looked stunned. Lance continued.

 

“I mean,  _ I _ was the one who just got out of the pods. Are you delirious?”

 

“ ‘m sorry. Was just asking.” Keith looked down at his feet. Again.  _ Who am I really talking to here? _

 

Lance eased up. “No,  _ ese _ . I shouldn’t come after you like that.” Lance bit his lip. “Why’d you ask?”

 

Keith didn’t say anything for a while. That dirt speck on his shoes must’ve been really interesting.

 

“Keith? Talk to me, dude.”

 

Keith looked up at Lance’s waiting eyes.  _ Blue, blue, blue. _

 

He took a deep breath. “I thought I was going to die. You guys couldn’t hear me, I couldn’t hear you. It was cold. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t move, I just…” Keith wrung out his hands. “I thought I was gonna die alone. I mean, I always thought I was, but this came a lot sooner. And then, you were there, and… I don’t know. No one has ever come back for me before.”

 

Looking to the left, Keith went on. “You wouldn’t tell us what was wrong. I could hear it in your voice, that you were freezing and hurt, but I didn’t ask you if you were okay because I didn’t want to distract you. And then, when Blue…” Lance sucked in a breath. “I thought you were gonna die too. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if— I mean, you were just not—” Keith huffed, unsure of how to go on.

 

Walking quicker, Lance looked equally unsure. “Haha, well, mullet, I didn’t know you cared so much.”

 

“I care about you.” Keith said. Lance tripped. Keith, ever instinctual, caught him with ease.

 

Lance looked open for one second, gaping while staring up at Keith, then turned red and flew off, rambling. “Oh my God, these numb, unfeeling toes! I’ve really gotta get used to having no feeling in my, er, phalanges! Yeah, haha I’ll just—” Keith caught one of Lance’s flailing arms by the wrist, and Lance stopped.

 

Keith pressed Lance’s fingertips into the palm of his hand and wrapped his long fingers around Lance’s top knuckles. “Jesus, your fingers are like ice cubes.” Keith observed. 

  
Lance suddenly didn’t feel so cold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish: ***My god, Bro. Let me breathe!"***
> 
> I love y'all! tumblr is fallenangelsliketacos


	8. Chilyo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of blood in this chapter, so slight TW for that. Gets a little fluffy this chapter, too.

Keith heard Lance before he saw him, along with an annoying clanking sound emanating from the kitchen. He heard “fuck” and “shit” and a couple other words in Spanish that he didn’t want to translate. Rounding the corner, Keith saw that Lance’s back was turned to him; the Blue paladin seemed to be struggling with something. As Keith approached, he saw that Lance was trying to open a jar, his hands gripping aimlessly at the lid.

 

“You okay Lance?”

 

The jar dropped with a bang onto the counter top; Lance jumped two feet back. “Jesus Christ, Keith! Give some warning when you’re creeping up on me!”

 

“I wasn’t creeping up on you.” Keith bent to pick up the jar from the floor. “Why are you in the kitchen at three in the morning?”

 

Lance’s eyebrows pinched. “Why are _YOU_ in the kitchen at three in the morning?”

 

Keith put the jar back on the counter as Lance folded his arms. Grabbing a bowl, Keith gestured at the goo pipes shortly, then filled up the container.

 

When Keith turned back to Lance, he saw the blue paladin staring pointedly at his fingers. Lance’s hands were clenched.

 

“Okay, you’re staring at my hands like they killed your puppy. What’s wrong?”

 

Lance opened his mouth briefly, then looked away. He swiped up the jar to put it back into the cupboard.

 

“Lance.”

 

“What, Keith.”

 

“Quit being an asshole and answer my questions.” Keith downed a spoonful of goo, waiting on a response.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

“The hell it is. You were five seconds short of crying when I walked in.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“ _Lance._ ”

 

Lance wheeled on Keith. “You just want to rub it in don’t you, huh? You come in here, and you—you—” Lance looked exasperated.

 

“I what?”

 

Lance made a strangled noise. “YougetfoodlikeitsnoissueandImjust—”

 

Keith put his bowl down. _I’m such an idiot._ “I’m sorry, Lance. I didn’t realize…”

 

“What? That I’m so useless that I can’t even open a fucking _jar_ by myself? I mean, I’ve come in here every night since I woke up and nothing’s even changed!”

 

 _Every night?_ “Lance, this isn’t your fault. It takes time, you know.” _I’m awful at this. Maybe I should wake up Hunk._

 

Lance sniffed. “Whatever man. I’m going to bed.” He turned on his heel and proceeded to march out. Keith, against his better judgement, followed.

 

“Quit following me.”

 

Keith didn’t respond. Lance walked faster. “I said quit following me!”

 

“Uh, no.”

 

“ _QUE TE LA PIQUE UN POLLO!”_

 

Keith snorted. “Okay, I don’t even _want_ to know what that means.”

 

Lance turned, his face flushed with anger and frustration, and shoved Keith hard. The red paladin stumbled back, just barely catching himself.

 

“WHAT THE _FUCK_ , LANCE!”

 

“Why won’t you leave me alone!” Lance snarled.

 

“I CAN’T!” Keith shouted. “THIS WHOLE THING IS MY FAULT.”

 

“Okay, that’s some _bullshit_ . You wanna throw a pity party, _cabron?_ This isn’t about you. Get off your high horse already!”

 

Keith slammed his left hand into the wall, making Lance jump. “No, Lance. This is my fault, and _you know it._ ” Keith took a shaky breath. “If not for me, you wouldn’t have been in this situation. I was just too stupid not to notice.” Keith looked at Lance, who was staring in mild horror. “What?”

 

“Your… Hand.”

 

Keith snapped his gaze to the wall, where two rivulets of blood were streaming from the crater like tears. Keith didn’t even notice the sting. He pulled back his hand to inspect, and clicked his teeth when he saw cracks had opened up between his knuckles. “Sorry,” Keith muttered.

 

Without hesitation, Lance grabbed Keith’s right wrist and pulled him down the hall in the direction of the medical supply room. His grip was firm, his fingers cold against the constant heat of Keith’s skin. He felt his heart skip. “Lance, what are you—”

 

They reached the supply room, where Lance let him go and began rummaging through the drawers, his brows pinched in pursuit of medical tape and alcohol. Keith attempted to interject. “Lance, dude, it’s fine. I’ll just—”

 

“Shh.”

 

After finding what he was looking for, Lance unscrewed the cap of the isopropyl bottle and dampened a pad, all while Keith watched. Focused, Lance dabbed Keith’s hand, where Keith once more paid no mind to the sting, then Lance grasped the roll of medical tape and peeled it away, preparing to wrap.

 

“Lance.”

 

“Shut up, mullet.”

 

Lance wrapped Keith’s hands carefully, mindful of the pressure he applied until he was satisfied with his dressings. He chucked the bloody pad into an incinerator on the wall and turned away from Keith.

 

“ _Lance_.”

 

“What is it Keith. What is _so_ important!”

 

Keith gave a small smile as Lance stood in front of him, his hands on his hips, a single eyebrow raised.

 

“Thanks but—”

 

“ _What.”_

 

“The bottle.”

 

“What about it?”

 

“You opened it.”

 

Lance opened his mouth in confusion. Keith could almost laugh.

 

“Lance, you opened the bottle. And undid a roll of tape.” _And grabbed me by the wrist._

 

Still gaping, Lance looked over at the open bottle like _it_ had just spoken to him. Closing his mouth, he walked over to where it sat on a table, and grabbing the cap, commenced trying to close it. His hand quivered as he struggled.

 

Letting out an incredulous laugh, Keith joined Lance over by the table. Placing his hand over Lance’s, Keith steadied the blue paladin as they put the cap back on. Keith pretended not to notice as a tear rolled down Lance’s cheek.

 

“I opened it.”

 

“You did.”

 

Keith didn’t move his hand from where it rested on Lance’s.

 

* * *

 

**** LANCE*****

 

Okay, while the bottle-opening-conundrum was in fact, frustrating, Lance couldn’t deny he was feeling in higher spirits. When he finally got back into Blue’s cockpit, he could not undermine the relief and comfort he felt knowing she was alright. It seemed that she too, had been worried about him.

 

“Hey, baby girl, I’m sorry to have stressed you out! You know you’re the only one for me. Now, all we gotta think about is getting better, together.”

 

But the thing was, healing was not the only thing Lance was thinking about. His mind seemed to be working overtime. He was constantly switching between the inefficiency of his limbs, his now sub par aim, the crystals they got back on the planet, the ocean that he _knew_ lay dormant inside his mind, his family, the myriad of other issues that came with being a paladin of Voltron; his brain would not stop… thinking!

 

And then of course, he thought of Keith. When the red paladin had appeared to him in his ocean of captivity, he had found it a little strange that _he_ was the one to save him, but Lance had dismissed it as a final outcry, of sorts. _I mean, Keith always knows what to do, right?_

 

But Keith was everywhere. _I get that we live together in a giant castle, but…_ Now, Keith was not only around Lance literally, but he was in his head, too. Lance began to notice things about mullet-head that he hadn’t seen before.

 

Mostly, his hands. That one makes sense, cause, Lance couldn’t stop thinking about _his own_ hands, so that wasn’t that strange, right? _Yes it is, dumbass._ That first night, when he woke up, Keith had pressed Lance’s fingers into his palm, and it was like Lance had short circuited. Keith was so warm, and Lance was freezing. If Lance had any less self-control he would have stood there forever. And then, with the bottle…

 

Lance needed to get a hold of himself. Like, pull himself back into reality. Like how Keith pulled him free of the ice…

 

_Oh my god. Stop it… that wasn’t even him!_

 

Lance bumped his head on the counter, letting out a frustrated noise.

 

“Shouldn’t you have better table manners?”

 

Lance groaned. “Pidge, save it for when I’m not so messed up.”

 

Pidge hopped up on the counter, looking amused at Lance’s state. “What’s the matter?”  


“Nothing to be concerned about. Just me, being me.” Lance looked up at her. “Is everything okay with you?”

 

“Uh uh, no you don’t. I used to fall for your savvy deflection techniques, Mr. Martyr— not anymore. Don’t try that on me.”

 

“For the record, it’s _Captain_ Martyr. And really, I’m fine. Just thinking.” _Or trying not to._

 

“Hmph. Dangerous business, that.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“So… what _are_ you thinking about?”

 

Images of the crash sped through his memory, of ice, of water, of _Keith_.

 

“Just if… I’ll be able to shoot again.”

 

Pidge’s eyes softened from beneath her rims. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

 

“Heh. Even with numb hands, I’m still a better shot than Keith.”

 

Pidge raised her eyebrows. “Interesting.”

 

Lance sat up. “What?”

 

“That you mention— I mean, that you’re still competitive with Keith. Seriously, after all that, it’s kinda pointless for you guys to keep it up, right?”

 

Lance looked suspicious. “After all of _what?_ ”

 

Pidge drummed her fingers next to her knees, then lifted them. “I mean, like you saving him, he not leaving the pod room for like _days,_ he snapping at anyone who came near him, how you two look at each other when think no one’s watching—”

 

“All right, what?” Lance bore his gaze at Pidge as she stopped, left pointer finger resting on her ring finger. “He didn’t leave the pod room? He’s been LOOKING AT ME?!?”

 

Pidge ignored Lance’s voice crack in favour of answering. “Uhhh, yeah, I thought you knew the former. He slept in there, and wouldn’t leave, even to eat. He thought you were gonna pop out any second. _Idiot._ ” Pidge shrugged. “As to the latter, it’s more of my observation. I thought it was pretty honest, but considering your reaction, I’m pressed to ask…” Pidge leaned in. “Do you liiiiiike him?” Her face was plastered with a shit-eating grin as Lance spluttered.

 

“WHAT? Like _him?_ WHO WOULD _EVER_ — Like, **ever** like Keith? Keith is just—”

 

“Just what?”

 

Pidge and Lance snapped their heads to the right, where the accused stood, arms crossed. “I’m just _what,_ Lance.”

 

As Lance choked on his words, Pidge swooped in for the save. “A terrible shot, that’s what. Lance was saying that even with numb fingers, he’s still probably better than you.”

 

 _Okay, that’s not a lie. I owe you one, Pidge_. Lance watched for Keith’s reaction.

 

After a pause, the red paladin scoffed, and began to take off his jacket. Keith laid the garment on the counter next to Pidge, then leaned into Lance.

 

“Wanna bet?” Keith smirked, his handsome purple irises shining in competition. _Oh no._ Lance blanched, his heart hitching.

 

Pidge laughed, causing Keith to look at her as Lance allowed his gaze to brush over Keith’s shoulders and torso. Lance felt his face heating up, and Pidge shot him a knowing glance.

 

_Oh, shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit, indeed.  
> ***Spanish translations:  
> Que te la pique un pollo!: I hope a chicken bites your dick (sorry guys)  
> cabron: motherfucker


	9. Wicked Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was writing this, my smile wrapped around my face. Also, I outlined this chapter on a train. The woman next to me was wearing Chanel n.5, and I was listening to this song.

****LANCE****

 

“I think Pidge knows.” Lance was laid out on the bed in Hunk’s room, staring at the ceiling.

 

“About what?” The yellow paladin didn’t look up from whatever he was fiddling with. 

 

“About… what you were saying before.”

 

“Specifics, Lance.”

 

“About Keith.”

 

Hunk’s eyes lit up. “How I think you have a crush that every time I care to mention you go absolutely bat-shit-crazy about?”

 

“How poetic.”

 

“Why would Pidge know about what I think?” Whatever Hunk was holding gave a pathetic whir.

 

Lance puffed. “Not about what you think. About what I… I mean, what I  _ might _ —”

 

The device clattered to the ground. “I WAS RIGHT! I KNEW IT!!!!”

 

Lance scrambled to a sitting position. “SHHHH—”

 

Hunk got up from his seat and proceeded to dance around the small room. “I knew it I knew it IknewitIknewitIknew—”

 

“Hunk, stop it!” Hunk turned on Lance and gave him a huge grin that Lance couldn’t help but match. 

 

“So you finally admit it to yourself. All this time, the rivalry, the competition, the attention-seeking… I knew you’d come around, buddy!”

 

“Oh my god.”

 

“I mean, this is GREAT!” Hunk spun around in his chair. “And while I cannot believe it took you this long, this is still cause for celebration!”

 

“No, it isn’t great. It is so  _ not _ great.” Lance placed his chin in his hands and pouted deliberately. “He doesn’t even see me, Hunk. I think he just feels bad about what happened.”

 

“He’s sure paying you a lot of attention.”

 

“Probably ‘cause he’s trying to make up for it, or something. He feels guilty, or responsible, or both. He’s paying attention to me now, but he’ll grow tired eventually.”  _ They always do. _

 

Hunk slid into a more serious look. “Lance, Keith isn’t some passing flirt. I think you know that. Come on, you’ve liked him for  _ years _ .”

 

“No, I haven’t”

 

Hunk shot him a hard glower.  _ Who’s really the sniper here? _

 

“Okay, fine.” Lance let his hands drop. “I’m worried about this, Hunkahunka. I don’t know why.”

 

Hunk sighed, slowly. “Maybe,” he began, conscientiously, “he’s the one you’re most afraid of losing.”

 

Lance closed his eyes, waiting for Hunk to continue.

 

“Lance, I’ve known you for a while, and I’m being absolutely serious when I say this. You took off as soon as you saw he was trapped. No one else would have done it— not Pidge, not Allura, not even Shiro.” Hunk rubbed his hands together. “Lance, you almost  _ died _ protecting him. I know you’re scared of being on the sidelines, but this…” Hunk paused. “He’s reckless, and you’re scared you can’t protect him. I don’t know, maybe you can.”

 

“What should I do?”

 

“You made a lot of space for him, Lance. Now he’s making space for you.” Hunk rose. “Let him.”

 

“What?”

 

“Let him take care of you. That’s what he wants, and somewhere deep inside your cocky head, it’s what you want to.”

 

From behind shut lids, Lance saw his ocean, tempestuous and wild with storm. He had screamed for Keith. For his help, for his salvation. Maybe he  _ did _ want Keith to care for him. Maybe even more. 

 

Lance slid his numb hands up to their opposing elbows. Deep in thought, he squeezed. He could feel his fingers pressing into the crook, just— couldn’t feel the elbows pushing back.

 

“Hunk?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thanks.”

* * *

 

***KEITH***

 

Sweat rolled down Keith’s brow, landing with a smack on the training room floor. The exhaustion was good, it was real, and for a little while, it got Keith out of his head. Slicing once more at a particularly stubborn training bot, the hit finally landed, and the sim ended. 

 

“Dude, you’re so gross.”

 

Keith’s heart lurched at the sound of Lance’s voice from the hallway; he was so surprised, he nearly tripped. Lance had that effect on him.

 

“How long have you been there?” Keith managed.  _ For someone so strong, I’m pretty weak. _

 

“Only the last five or so. Didn’t want to interrupt your flow in fear of you getting creamed.”

 

“How kind.”  Keith wiped his face on the bottom his shirt, completely missing the ogling look Lance gave. “What can I do for you, Lance.” 

 

At first, Lance didn’t say anything. “Um… since the other three are out, you know, ‘missioning,’” Lance air-quoted as he spoke, “I was wondering if a certain annoying, mulleted asshat would keep me company.”

 

Lance looked earnestly at Keith, who, as usual, was speechless. Lance’s face changed from unexpectedly hopeful to disappointed in a flash. “Or, not. Sorry to bother you, I’ll, um—”

 

“Shit, no, sorry,” Keith spoke hastily, trying to gather his bearings before making any more mistakes. “I would love to— I mean, yeah, I will, but I should probably shower first. Since I’m so  _ gross _ and all.” Keith bit his tongue.

 

_ Jesus. Get yourself together.  _

 

“Hah, yeah, okay man. I’ll be in my room, stop by when you’re done.”

 

“Uh, Lance?” The blue paladin stopped in his tracks. “Why..?”

 

Lance flashed Keith a heart-stopping smile. “‘Cause I’m BOOOOORED.” And he swished out of the room. Just like that.

 

Keith was left breathless (not from his training).

 

In the shower, Keith let the hot water wash over him, prickling him. He saw Lance’s smile, spreading warmth over the surface of his skin. As he exited the stall, wrapping his towel around his waist, he stopped to look himself in the mirror. 

 

Keith had never really seen himself as attractive, not by a long shot. However, ever since truly knowing Lance, something had changed. Whenever the blue paladin cast his attentions on Keith, he felt more than seen— he felt valuable. 

 

Keith quickly dressed himself and ambled to Lance’s room. Lance couldn’t change the way Keith felt about himself; but Keith’s presence had never been wanted.  _ Is there something wantable about me? _ Lance maybe… MAYBE thought so. Keith hoped.

Picking at his sweater (it gets pretty drafty in the castle), Keith rapped on Lance’s door. He barely waited one second when the door slid open. Lance was wearing his favorite shirt, the one all the  _ guys _ seemed to have— the one with the different coloured shoulders. 

 

Keith cleared his throat, still picking. “Um, so…”

 

“Oh, yeah! Come in!” Lance nearly tripped over himself making room for Keith to enter. Lance’s room was neat, and smelled freakin’  _ delicious _ . Keith couldn’t really be surprised; Lance always smelled good, so why wouldn’t his room?

 

“So.” Keith looked steadily at the blue paladin. “What do you want to do?”

 

“I want…” Lance paused, focusing at something underneath Keith’s face. “CARDS! Let’s play cards.”

 

“Okay.” The two sat across from each other on the floor, preparing to play. Keith shuffled the deck easily (how did Lance have a deck of cards in space?), bridging the cards up to his thumbs, breaking the silence. Lance stared again; Keith knew not at what.

 

Keith siphoned out the cards. “Ratslap, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The room returned to silent, with the exception of the two’s breathing. Once the cards were doled, Keith picked up his pile and placed down the first card. He looked at Lance expectantly. 

 

Lance didn’t move his hand from where it rested atop his pile. At least, it seemed like he didn’t. The longer it took, the more Keith realized that Lance was shaking in concentration.

 

“Lance?”

 

“ _ I’ve got it.” _ Lance murmured. Keith watched silently, urging Lance in his mind, as Lance attempted to pick up the top card. Lance exhaled out loud. This was not working.

 

“Hey, Lance. Let’s do something else.” Keith attempted to channel Hunk; soothing. It seemed to have worked— Lance’s shoulders relaxed and he let his hand drop. 

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Don’t apologize.” Keith looked around the room.  _ What else? _ “Do you have any other ideas?”

 

Lance rocked back, using the momentum to stand. While Lance went over to his desk, Keith picked up the deck.  _ Do better, Keith. _

 

“Well,” Lance broke the silence this time. “Shiro gave me an exercise ball to do motor coordination stuff with. Like a makeshift physical therapy.” Lance underhanded said ball at Keith, who caught it with an upward snatch. “If you want, you could help me learn how to reuse my hands?” Lance teased.

 

“Sure.” Keith backed up across the floor to the wall opposite Lance, who slid down the other side. “Under or over?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The throws.”

 

“Oh yeah. Start with under.” As a response, Keith lightly tossed the ball at Lance; it wasn’t heavy, and made a satisfying  _ pah _ when Lance caught it. They threw the ball back and forth a couple of times before Lance spoke.

 

“Are you doing okay?”

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

 

“Nothing. It’s just, you look a little stressed.”

 

Keith laughed under his breath. “These eye-bags have been here since birth, Lance.”

 

The corner of Lance’s mouth twitched up. “That’s what happens when you have a shitty— no, a  _ nonexistent _ skin-care routine. I mean  _ really,  _ Keith.” Keith smiled at Lance, who had chucked the ball higher to iterate his point. “But seriously, is everything alright?”

 

_ I can’t believe this. He wants to know if  _ I’m _ okay? _

 

“If you want to know the truth I… haven’t been sleeping too well.” Lance pressed his mouth into a line, concern flashing in those blue,  _ blue _ eyes. “But that’s, like, to be expected.” Keith tossed the ball easily. “Are  _ you _ okay?”

 

“I’m fine. Just tired, s’all.” Keith paused after receiving Lance’s throw. He looked closely at the blue paladin.  _ No. No you’re not. _

 

Lance shifted, clearly uncomfortable with Keith’s silence. Keith threw the ball back at Lance, trying to figure out how to respond. “Um…” He started. “You don’t need to pretend. Not in front of me.”

 

“You won’t understand.” Lance said, under his breath. Keith shut his mouth.

 

Lance threw the ball at Keith, overhand, so Keith responded in turn. Lance caught it, seemingly without difficulty. On the return throw, he winced. Keith threw again.

 

“ _ SHIT _ !” Lance howled momentarily, gripping his palm as if to flatten the muscles. The ball rolled away.

 

Keith sprung to his feet.“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He quickly scooped up the ball and kneeled in front of Lance, who was curled in on himself.

 

“It’s… nothing.” Lance shuddered.  “Not pain, exactly but— cold. Numb. Like there’s nothing even there.” He gritted out.

 

Keith remembered Pidge’s words.  _ It’s not me you need to apologize to.  _ “I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do?”

 

Lance let out a weak laugh. “You could kiss it to make it better,” Lance joked.

 

Keith sat down fully, sliding his left leg out to touch to wall next to Lance, putting his right ankle under his thigh. He stared at Lance, no laughter in his eyes. He grabbed Lance’s hand. 

 

“What  _ are  _ you—”

 

Lance sucked in a breath as Keith kissed the tip of Lance’s ring finger. Lance was shivering, but he didn’t pull away. The red paladin, rash and emboldened, moved on to the Lance’s right pointer finger and thumb, carefully supporting his wrist. While placing the right hand down, he picked up the left, laying soft kisses on the remaining unfeeling fingers; thumb, pointer, ring, pinkie. When Keith was done, he turned both of Lance’s palms to face up, and ran his thumbs along the lines just below where Lance’s fingers started.

 

Keith, face slightly pink, looked into Lance’s eyes. They glowed blue in the low light, like the hottest part of the flame. “Better?” Keith but whispered.

 

“Not yet.” Lance was leaning in.

 

The two met at first like ripples. The kiss was soft, afraid, unsure.  _ Do you want me? Are you sure?  _ Lance slid his right leg over Keith’s hip, pulling himself closer. Lance turned into a wave, Keith surged to meet him, harsh and wild and dangerous. Their lips shifted over one another’s, Keith pressing in and Lance pushing back. Lance slid his tongue over Keith’s lower lip, a feeling that Keith was  _ definitely _ not opposed to. Keith sank his teeth into Lance’s lip in response— he wanted to be felt. He wanted Lance to  _ feel _ him.

 

Lance moaned into Keith’s mouth, circling his arms around to hold ont Keith’s back— his fingers seared like ice into his shoulder blades. Keith brought his hand up to Lance’s face, nails digging comfortably into his scalp. They broke apart for air. 

 

After a few breaths, Lance gathered himself enough to speak. “Whoa.”

  
  


“Yeah.”

 

Keith moved his hand to Lance’s cheek to brush away the tears dripping down, like silver falling from his eyes. “You’re crying.”

 

Lance quirked his mouth. “Yeah.” He laughed, as if in disbelief. “Oh my God, we totally just made out.”

 

Keith blushed. “Was that… Okay?”

 

Now Lance really looked in disbelief. “Okay? That was  _ amazing! _ What are you talking about?”

 

“Lance.” Keith brushed away Lance’s tears again. “What is causing you so much pain?”

 

“Noth—”

 

“ _ Please, _ Lance. Let me help you. Let me be there for you.”

 

At first, Lance didn’t respond. He then leaned forward and put his head on Keith’s shoulder. 

 

“Everything.”

 

Keith waited.

 

“I’m drowning, Keith. I’m frozen and I can’t move. The water’s coming up around me and I know I’m going under.” Lance nuzzled deeper into the crook of Keith’s neck. “When I was in the pod, it hurt so bad. The cold. But I was frozen in this huge ocean that showed me the people I cared about. My family… they wanted me with them. But I couldn’t… They were the people who I love and couldn’t reach.”

 

Keith brought his arms around Lance as he continued. “I saw you. I could  _ hear _ you.” Lance looked into Keith’s eyes. “Even though at first I couldn’t reach you, you were the one who got me out. But that ocean, Keith. It’s still there every time I close my eyes. It’s pooled in me, and I can’t get out.”

 

Keith was quiet for a bit, waiting for Lance’s breathing to calm. Lance pulled back, and Keith cupped his chin. “I’m here Lance. Just ask, and I’m here.”

 

Lance pressed his forehead to Keith’s. “Hey Keith?”

 

“Mm?”

 

“Two things.”

 

“What?”

 

“One, thanks.”

 

“Mm.”

 

“Two, I’m going to kiss you again.”

 

So he did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm looking at this story through rose-coloured spectacles. (Kissing noises)


	10. Nerve, Panic, and Thermodynamics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okey I'm sorry that it's been so long but it's been a tough week and I think I just aced my exam on frictional force and centripetal acceleration so here we are. There's more kissing and touching in this chapter, so enjoy :).

***LANCE***

 

Lance stared up at the column of Keith’s throat, his head laid back on the red paladin’s chest. Keith’s hands skimmed up and down Lance’s arm, pressing slightly in as his fingers ran over Lance’s biceps.

 

Lance never thought being with Keith would be like _this._

 

He knew Keith led himself with feeling, so maybe he shouldn’t be surprised with how kinesthetic and tactile Keith was in a relationship. _Is it fair to call this a relationship?_

 

As Keith carded his fingers into Lance’s hair, Lance decided. _Yes. Definitely._

 

Lance sank further back, relishing the feeling of hands in his hair. He felt his mood darken, remembering all the times he had fantasized about running _his_ fingers through Keith’s hair, imagining the softness and the length and how it would feel. Too bad he can’t feel.

 

Keith looked down. “Everything okay?”

 

“Hm? Yeah.”

 

“What’s on your mind?”

 

Lance shifted around to look a Keith, at first tempted to say, _nothing._ But looking up at the violet hue in Keith’s endless eyes, Lance changed his mind.

 

“I’m jealous of your hands.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I thought I could get used to this whole ‘unfeeling’ thing, but I guess not.”

 

Keith clenched his jaw in thought. “What could I do to help?”

 

Lance slumped back. “You could figure out a way to fix them, I guess. But Coran seems to think that’s impossible.”

 

Keith ran his thumbnail down Lance’s forearm to his wrist, making a road only he could see. “I hate to seem, well, _assholey_ , but we can access an infinite number of universes, which have an infinite combination of resources. Besides ancient Altean technology, I’m sure at _least_ one of those universes has a planet, or a people, who know what to do to help.”

 

When Keith applied pressure to the center of Lance’s palm, Lance’s hand twitched up. “Okay. Sure.”

 

Keith, satisfied, smiled into Lance’s hair. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

 

Lance smirked a dangerous smile. “I’m sure I can think of _something._ ” Suggestiveness had always been his strong suit.  

 

Keith grabbed Lance’s hips to help him turn around and face him. Lance did a silent fist pump. _He took the bait_. Keith leaned in under Lance’s neck, mouthing softly at the skin there. “Anything.”

 

Lance smiled, dazed and energetic.

 

“Well,” He began, his body tingling, “Kissing is nice.”

 

Keith grunted his agreement, working his way up to Lance’s jaw.

 

“—and… and touching is good too.” _Keep your cool, Lance._

 

“Mhm.” Lance felt Keith’s breath, impossibly hot, in his ear, and his hands circled around his waist.

 

“But… _haah…_ I wanna touch…” Lance pulled back to look at Keith, face flushed and eyes hooded. “I wanna touch _you_.”

 

Keith visibly swallowed. “Um.” Lance gestured to the bottom of Keith’s shirt.

 

“Can I?”

 

Keith took barely a second before nodding vigorously. Lance brought his numb, cold, fingers down to the hem of Keith’s shirt, gripping as tightly as he could, and lifted. Keith raised his arms up as Lance pulled; the shirt got caught momentarily on the red paladin’s chin.

 

_Oh my god. I’m gonna die._

 

Lance knew Keith was as gorgeous as he was surprising, but he never had had the means to be _this_ close. He had never been allowed to touch.

 

“Can I?” Lance repeated, his hands hovering.

 

“Yes.” Keith whispered. His breath sucked in when Lance placed his cold hands on his hipbones. Lance pressed his semi-feeling fingers into Keith’s stomach with passion, memorizing whatever feeling he could ascertain. He dragged his hands up, over the valleys of Keith’s abs, his hands making a “W” as his thumb traced up the middle. Lance, ever so slowly, pressed the palms of his hand just below Keith’s sternum and made two wide arcs up to under Keith’s collarbones. With renewed force, Lance dug his fingers above the collarbones like a climber anchored on a mountain, and leaned in to press the crown of his head to Keith’s. Releasing his grip, he moved his thumbs to Keith’s lips, cupping his face.

 

Keith had stars in his eyes. “Lance… my god. You have no idea what you _do_ to me, I just—”

 

Lance sealed his mouth over Keith’s. After a small gasp, Keith returned the pressure, and Lance ran his hands up into Keith’s hair, cursing silently at not knowing the feeling. In his frustration, Lance kissed harder, and Keith returned, their competitive spirit back just long enough that they weren’t so much kissing but _devouring_ each other. Keith’s skin was ablaze, he took Lance’s frigid cold until the two were both on fire and frozen.

 

Keith pulled at Lance’s shirt, his pupils blown and his breath uneven. “Can I?”

 

“I will beat your _ass_ if you don’t”

 

Keith laughed, but lifted Lance’s shirt over his head. “Looking forward to it,” he snarked before crashing back again into Lance, running his hands down Lance’s shoulders. Lance pressed himself into Keith’s warmth, seeking the heat which he so desperately needed.

 

Keith got more confident, biting at Lance’s lips and exploring his mouth. _Man, or animal?_ Lance thought, but who needs to think when you’re sitting on Mr. Perfect’s lap?

 

Keith’s hands crawled up Lance’s back to the base of his hairline, loosely gripping himself in the short locks there. Lance retaliated, scratching at Keith’s bare back, not daring to go any lower. Keith rested one arm around Lance’s shoulder, the other still behind his head.

 

Lance moved backwards in attempt to goad Keith, whose hand slipped to the back of Lance’s neck and gripped.

 

Lance’s world went white; he screamed.

 

* * *

 

***KEITH***

 

“Incredible!” Coran said for what must have been the eighth time. “I simply cannot believe it!”

 

For a matter of fact, neither could Keith. One moment, he and Lance were in the middle of the _hottest_ make-out session, and then Lance was screaming in pain and passed out right in his lap. The second time Keith nearly got a heart attack on Lance’s behalf.

 

He had rushed the blue paladin the the med ward, fearing for the worst. But shortly after the entire team, Allura, and Coran had gathered, Lance woke up.

 

And Lance could feel.

 

He was staring with wonder at his fingers, bending them easily, as if nothing had ever been wrong. He ran them up and down his paladin suit, savoring, _feeling_ , as Coran buzzed around with a tablet.

 

“Well bless your _quiznaking_ heart, Keith my boy. How’d you do it?” Coran’s mustache bristled with excitement and pride.

 

 _Shit._ Keith looked around briefly at the other awestruck paladins. “I… uh… was giving Lance a… _shoulder rub_ , and… he screamed and fainted, and… “ He gestured widely. _Here we are._

 

Allura cleared her throat, shaking herself from her amazed stupor. “Human anatomy must be significantly different from Altean anatomy. I mean, what conceivable reason is there for this?” She looked around, as if the explanation would appear from the appliances around her.

 

Shiro snapped his finger and looked up. “ _Shiatsu!_ ”

 

“What?” Keith, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge looked thoroughly confused.

 

“ _Shiatsu!_ ” Shiro repeated, even more enthusiastic. “Acupuncture!”

 

Hunk and Pidge’s mouths curled into matching “O’s”, but Lance just looked confused.

 

“What does that have to do with it? There was no needles or anything! Nothing sharp, or _pointy_ .” He winked at Keith. _Screw you, Lance._

 

“No, no, no.” Shiro smiled widely, more relaxed than he had been in a while. “The spine is an important element for acupuncture. Depending on where in the body there is pain, there is a corresponding vertebrae for the afflicted place!” He looked over at Keith animatedly. “If I remember correctly, C3 and T1 for hands. When Keith was… _massaging_ Lance, he must have recalibrated those bones, causing feeling to return to Lance’s hands.”

 

No one was caring to mention the hickies on Lance’s neck. Thank quiznak for small graces.

 

“But I thought…” Keith began carefully, “That the numbness was from tissue death?”

 

“I thought so too, lad.” Coran scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I guess I didn’t account for the explosion in Blue’s cockpit. Lance must’ve been thrown around enough that his ‘spine’ went out of whack!” Coran shook his head lightly. “ _Incredible.”_

 

Lance hopped off the examination table where he was sitting, his shoulders no longer tensed and his features at ease. “Well, now that that’s figured out, Shiro, would you mind doing your acupuncture on the spine-bones for feet? Then, I want to touch _everything._ ”

 

Shiro ushered Lance over to a chair as the others all went back to their respective quarters, with the exception of Keith, who went to Lance’s. After a long while, he saw Lance rounding the corner with a skip in his step.

 

“Lance—”

 

Lance grinned. “Shh. I wanna do something.” He stopped in front of Keith and placed his fingers on the red paladin’s lips. He ran the pads of his digits over the silkiness of Keith’s lip, and once his exploration there was done, he pressed his fingers into Keith’s cheekbones, brushing his thumbs over Keith’s eyelids. He braided his hands into Keith’s hair and _gripped_ ; Keith let out a strangled sigh.

 

“So, uh…” Keith’s breath caught in his throat. “How does it feel?”

 

“Mm.” Lance bit his lower lip. “Pretty good.”

 

Keith quirked an eyebrow and Lance’s grin expanded. “Okay, _really_ good. Feeling is one of those things you can’t appreciate ‘til you don’t have it, then when you get it back…” Lance’s eyes traced over Keith’s torso. “There’s nothing else like it.”

 

Keith placed his hands over Lance’s, taking them out of his hair, and he gathered the digits together like holding a soft tulip. He kissed them lightly, watching Lance’s eyes closed, relishing the feeling he had so been missing.

 

Keith knew he could be reckless, he’d always hoped that any repercussions would fall on him personally. Keith also knew he’s fucked up before, royally, but it seemed someone else was always there.

 

Not this time.

 

Because this time, he was there. Lance was there. He wasn’t alone anymore, with Lance’s hands in his, consistent and feeling and _warm_.

 

It’s nice to live with something so warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I should do an ending resolution or just end here. Thank you for all of the support.


	11. Thawed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over guys! I've absolutely LOVED writing this story— one of my favorites. Thank you so much for the support, information, and suggestions. Love you all to Altea and beyond.

***KEITH****

 

“You dropped a stitch, Keith.”

 

The red paladin looked up at Hunk, who was standing above him, curious. “Though you are doing a good job.”

 

Keith stretched his back. “Thanks, Hunk.”  He pulled at the leading strand until he reached the accused stitch, and rehooked the yarn and started again.

 

“What’re they for? You already have a pair of gloves, and I thought you were more of a  _ fingerless _ type.”

 

“They’re not for  _ me.” _ Keith smiled to himself.  _ They’re for  _ **_him_ ** .

 

“How did you manage to finagle blue yarn anyways?” 

 

“I’m just borrowing it.”

 

“Uh huh.” Hunk paused. “If it’s not for you, who’s it for? You’re using blue yarn, so I’d think it were for…”

 

Keith stopped knitting and looked back at Hunk, who must’ve been putting a puzzle in his head.

 

“Are they for Lance.”

 

“Yeah, actually.”

 

“But like… why?”

 

“‘Cause—” ‘ _ Cause I love him, that’s why. _ “I figured they made a good apology.”

 

“Lance isn’t mad at you.”

 

“I know.”

 

“So you’re making him gloves just for kicks?”

 

“Just for kicks.” Keith echoed. 

 

“Hah. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that was a…  _ romantic _ … endeavor, Keith.”

 

_ God, I hope so. _ “Mhm.”

 

“Keith?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Do you like Lance?”

 

Keith sent a glance over to Hunk he hoped was mysterious. Hunk look questioning at first, his eyes clouded in thought. Then his face cleared, and the grin that spread across his face was  _ shit-eating _ .

 

“Oh my god.”

 

“Hunk—”

 

“OH. MY. GOD.  _ Does he— _ IhavetogoKeithbye”

 

At an almost impossible speed, Hunk wheeled out of the room towards Lances. Keith laughed to himself.  _ How doesn’t he know? He saw the hickies right? _

 

Keith rose to walk towards the canteen.  _ Maybe he didn’t. Maybe they all didn’t. _

 

_ This is gonna be good _ .

* * *

 

***LANCE***

 

“LANCE LANCE LANCE  _ LANCE!” _

 

Said paladin failed to catch the ball he was throwing against the wall, turning towards the sound of Hunk’s voice.

 

“Hunk? What’s wrong?”

 

The yellow paladin skidded into his room. “You  _ aren’t  _ going to believe this.”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s Keith.” Hunk steeled himself, trying to swallow a bubbling smile. “He likes you. Like,  _ likes you _ likes you.”

 

“Oh really?”  _ God, I hope so. _

 

“Yeah, I just asked him if he did, and he didn’t respond but like, I  _ know. _ ” Hunk laughed. “Lance do you know what this means?!?”

 

“Yeah,” Lance turned towards the door, “I’ve gotta know for myself, you know?”

 

Hunk rubbed his hands together. “Oh my god.  _ Oh my god. _ ”

 

Lance tried to force down his grin as they walked briskly towards the canteen. Keith  _ was  _ there when they arrived; he was watching the door, perhaps waiting for Lance to enter.

 

“Hey, Keith.”

 

“What, Lance.”  Excited light bounced underneath Keith’s eyelids.  _ This is gonna be good. _

 

“Hunk says that he thinks that you like me. What’s up with that?”

 

Hunk audibly snorted as Pidge, Allura, Shiro, and Coran walked into the canteen. Shiro looked nervous. “Is everything alright?”

 

“Nothing, Shiro.” Keith said. “It’s just that Lance says that Hunk thinks that I like Lance.” His eyes swept the room. “Romantically.” He iterated.

 

“What Keith said.” Lance could barely hold back his smirk. 

 

“Do YOU?!” Hunk couldn’t contain the shriek in his voice. Lance was trying not to double over in laughter.  _ Too good. _

 

Everyone went silent looking at Keith, who looked mildly ferocious. If Lance didn’t know any better, he’d think Keith was mad.

 

“Like him?” Keith grit out. “No, I don’t like him.” 

 

Hunk’s mouth snapped shut as Pidge gawked. Keith walked surely up to Lance, arms and torso rigid.

 

“Keith—” Shiro readied himself, preparing for a fight.

 

Keith grabbed Lance’s shirt to pull him down into a crushing kiss. Lance could hear the rest of the team’s surprise; he really didn’t care all that much.

 

When Keith broke away after a long while (however all too soon), he relaxed his hand on Lance’s chest and turned to the slack-jawed team. 

 

“I love him.”

 

After a moment Pigde let out a hoot and began dancing around. “IT’S ABOUT FUCKING TIME, GODDAMMIT!” 

 

“Katie!” Shiro looked extremely confused as he turned on the two paladins, arms draped over one another. “How long has this been going on?”

 

“What does it matter?” Hunk skidded forward and wrapped the two into a crushing hug. “I was totally right!”

 

“No,  _ I  _  was totally right. I called this!” Pidge shouted, ceasing her shimmying for a moment. “Right, Keith? I knew! We talked about this! I was informed!”

 

Lance looked down at Keith. “Did she know before I did?”

 

Keith scratched his head. “Yeah… She caught me in a bad moment. I needed to tell someone ‘cause I thought you might die. Or be so pissed at me you’d never speak to me again.”

 

“Aww babe! I would never! Plus, if  _ you _ had died, I wouldn’t have been able to say what I felt.”

 

“You two are disgustingly adorable.” Shiro butted in, left out of Pidge and Hunk’s argument. 

 

“Thanks.” Keith said, ridiculously proud.  _ Cute.  _

“Just… don’t let your relationship get in the way of your duty.”

 

Allura cleared her throat. “I can’t imagine it would. The closer the bond, the better the formation of Voltron.” She smiled at Keith and Lance openly. “I am very happy for the both of you.”

 

Lance leaned against Keith as they returned her smile, feeling Keith’s thumb drawing circles on Lance’s hand.

 

_ I’m happy too. _

* * *

 

//post-credits//

 

_ Hey, Keith. What’s the most romantic thing Lance has ever said to you? _

 

_ He told me that he’d hoped a chicken would bite my dick. _

  
→ FIN ← 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What should I write next? Tell me at my tumblr fallenangelsliketacos. Love ya!

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment suggestions! :)


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